Water Subcommittee Meeting of the Low Income Oversight Board

Members: Dave Stephenson, Ortensia Lopez and Jason Hobson

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

California Public Utilities Commission

505 Van Ness Avenue – Courtyard Room

San Francisco, CA

1:00pm -3:00pm

Call - In Number 1-866-528-2256 - Code 8434796

  1. Introductions
  2. Opening Comments from Committee Members
  3. Opening Comments from Commission Staff
  4. Public Comment
  5. CPUC Policy and Planning Division White Paper on Low Income Programs – Effort has been cancelled
  6. New/Existing Legislation, Rules, Practices or Procedures
  1. AB 1434 (Yamada) . Water corporations: low-income relief programs. Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including water corporations, as defined. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility, and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable. Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to consider, and authorizes the commission to implement, programs to provide rate relief for low-income ratepayers of a water corporation. This bill would instead require the commission to implement a program to provide rate relief for low-income ratepayers of a water corporation, as specified. (see attached document)
  2. AB 1331 (Rendon). Climate Change Response for Clean and Safe Drinking Water Act of 2014. (1) Existing law, the Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2012, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $11,140,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a safe drinking water and water supply reliability program. Existing law provides for the submission of the bond act to the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election. This bill would repeal these provisions. (2) Under existing law, various measures have been approved by the voters to provide funds for water supply and protection facilities and programs. This bill would enact the Climate Change Response for Clean and Safe Drinking Water Act of 2014, which, if adopted by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $6,500,000,000pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a climate change response for clean and safe drinking water program. (See attached document)
  1. SB 42 (Wolk). Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality, and Flood Protection Act of 2014. (1) Existing law creates the Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2012, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $11,140,000,000pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a safe drinking water and water supply reliability program. Existing law provides for the submission of the bond act to the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election. (see attached document)
  1. California Drought -
  2. Current status of Water Conservation and Rationing Plans
  3. Sacramento Area
  4. Private Utilities
  5. Public Utilities
  6. Others
  7. Other Areas
  8. Effect on Low Income Customers
  9. Revenue added to WRAMS
  10. Conservation enforcement
  11. Waste enforcement
  12. Adoption of Standard Practice U-40-W
  13. DWA would be able to approve plans without Resolution
  14. DWA would authorize enactment of Plans
  15. DWA would be the ruling body on complaints
  16. See attached document
  17. Water-Energy Nexus OIR
  18. Sets standards for measurement
  19. Sets guidelines for calculations
  20. See attached document
  21. Balanced Rates OIR
  22. New Staff Report
  23. Next Steps
  24. We should have a new version of the Staff Report by early February
  25. Chrome VI Regulation
  26. April 15 or June 15 final adoption date
  27. Level proposed at 10 ppb
  28. Cost could be at or above $3 million per site
  29. Fairly modest requirements for IOU’s
  30. More dramatic impact on smaller utilities. These utilities may not be able to comply
  31. See attached Superior Court Order
  32. Transfer of Drinking Water Programs to the State Water Board (from CDPH)
  33. See attached documents
  34. Other Business
  35. Closing Remarks/Adjourn